Philadelphia Stars USFL Betting
The Philadelphia Stars were a top future market favorite for the 2023 USFL championship. But Philadelphia was caught reading its own headlines in a dismal campaign that ended in disappointment. In the regular season finale, the Michigan Panthers staged an incredible comeback to defeat the Philadelphia Stars 23-20. This thrilling victory occurred at the Panthers’ home field and was crucial for Michigan as it secured its spot in the USFL North Division Championship. Philadelphia blew what seemed to be a certain playoff spot.
USFL Betting Odds
Philadelphia Stars 2023 Season Overview and Week 10 Recap
Last week the Philadelphia Stars lost 23-20 to the Michigan Panthers as 1.5-point favorites. The game went over the total of 42.5. As a result, Philadelphia has a record of 4-6, good for 3rd place in the USFL North Division. Philadelphia has USFL metrics of 5th for offensive yardage, 8th for rushing yardage, 3rd for passing yardage, and 4th for scoring offense. On defense, Philadelphia ranks 7th for total yards allowed, 8th for rushing yards allowed, 4th for passing yards allowed, and 8th for points permitted.
It was win or go home in prime time on Sunday night in a Week 10 battle between the Philadelphia Stars and Michigan Panthers.
The Stars were playing to lock up the North and earn their postseason place. The Panthers were playing to continue their season via their first home win. It was a battle between offensive ingenuity and defensive prowess — and in this case, the age-old adage proved true yet again: defense wins (or helps you get to) championships.
Michigan got its first win in front of the biggest Ford Field crowd all season, a 23-20 nail-biter, while simultaneously punching a ticket to the franchise's first playoff appearance in this iteration of the USFL.
The difference-maker was a special team play, which had been the Panthers’ most productive unit all night. Wide receiver Marcus Simms, in particular, single-handedly contributed multiple massive kick returns and then his pièce de résistance: a blocked punt scooped up by A.J. Richardson and carried in for the Panthers’ first touchdown of the night. A good two-point conversion, and Michigan had new life. It was the Panthers' first lead of the game and didn’t come until the end of the third quarter, but the Panthers' defense took it from there and wouldn’t relinquish it, lining up in victory formation to ultimately end the game.
Quarterback Case Cookus and the Stars’ offense began the night with a play-action pass to the league leader in receiving yards, Corey Coleman. From there, Cookus engineered an eight-play, 58-yard drive that ended in a 23-yard touchdown to Terry Wright.
It was a continuation of the momentum Cookus created last week when he threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns. It gave Philadelphia a 7-0 lead with 10:35 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers’ defense did its best to contain the Stars’ surging offense. A long drive for the Stars at the beginning of the second quarter yielded minimal results after an offensive pass interference penalty negated a touchdown. Instead, Philly settled for a field goal from kicker Luis Aguilar, the USFL’s leader in kicking points, to make the score 10-0 with 11:17 left in the first half.
Michigan got its first special teams boost from a 55-yard kickoff return in the second quarter by Simms, which set up a 51-yard field goal by Cole Murphy to get Michigan on the board.
Right before halftime, the Stars had a stalled drive receive new life when a roughing the passer penalty moved the Stars to the Michigan 29 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Cookus then took a shot over the middle into a tight window, where the ball was caught by Diondre Overton, giving the Stars a 20-6 lead at the break.
2023 Philadelphia Stars Season Schedule
| WEEK |
MATCHUP |
RESULT |
RECORD |
| April 15 |
@ Memphis Showboats |
W 27-23 |
1-0 |
| April 23 |
vs. Michigan Panthers |
L 10-24 |
1-1 |
| April 30 |
vs. Pittsburgh Maulers |
L 13-21 |
1-2 |
| May 6 |
vs. Houston Gamblers |
L 16-41 |
1-3 |
| May 14 |
vs. New Jersey Generals |
W 24-21 |
2-3 |
| May 21 |
vs. New Orleans Breakers |
W 16-10 |
3-3 |
| May 27 |
@ Pittsburgh Maulers |
W 37-31 |
4-3 |
| June 3 |
@ Birmingham Stallions |
L 24-27 |
4-4 |
| June 11 |
@ New Jersey Generals |
L 33-37 |
4-5 |
| June 18 |
@ Michigan Panthers |
L 20-23 |
4-6 |
USFL Teams
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